Life Savours, Umhlanga

I hadn’t been near Umhlanga recently, but when I heard about a fairly new spot opposite the Beverly Hills, I thought I’d better try it out. Parking can be a little tricky, but there is paid underground parking if you are happy to pay.

Life Savours​ is where Charlies/Box Bar/Box on the Rox/etc. used to be (for the old Umhlanganites), but it looks nothing like its predecessors. It has an amazing seaside theme to it; wooden-look tiles, and soft blues and whites give it that calming ocean look – with the clever play on the name, “Life Savours“, (not to be confused with The Life SAVERS Club).

They were revamping their menu when I popped by, and were apologetic about the temporary menu which was a simple one-sided A4, but boasted some very appealing dishes nonetheless. Which suited me. I’m more a fan of do less better, than more mediocre. There was a specials board up on the wall, and they were also in the process of launching a lunch special.

For starters, myself and my Mother-in-Law shared the falafel balls. Deep-fried little nuggets of joy; a good crunch and slightly spiced, they paired wonderfully with the homemade garlic aioli. A great starter to share, with about 10 balls in a portion.

For my mains, I opted for their signature burger, ‘The Prize Hog’. The chef-owner shared with us that they had spent several weeks mixing, matching and testing to create this dish.

It may appear a little expensive at R135, but was a fair sized patty accompanied by generous additions. Homemade buns are baked on-site, which taste fantastic, and give a fresh and unique flavour to the burger. They also have their meat supplier make and grind the mince to their exact specs for the burger. It’s then topped with a 12-hour slow cooked slab-o-rib, cheese, apple and bacon slaw, and a crisp, crunchy caramel wafer (which is a slightly peculiar, yet wonderful addition to the burger). It was worth every cent. I was stuffed. The Mad Giant craft beer on tap I’d ordered partnered really well with the burger.

My Mother-in-Law opted for the butternut gnocchi. Homemade gnocchi, tossed in a creamy parmesan sauce, dusted with some more parmesan and diced nuts. The gnocchi was perfectly cooked, the sauce to pasta ratio was spot on, and the portion size was just right so she didn’t feel hungry or too full.

We knew we shouldn’t after pigging out but we had to try their dessert of the day, the chocolate fondant. It was baked just the way it should, soft but firm outside, and a lovely gooey, chocolatey inside, with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on the side.

We’re pleased that we decided on the fondant, even if it meant that we had to roll out.